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Martin Thorley

@methorley.bsky.social
838 followers 458 following 47 posts

Book on UK-China shadow international relations: tinyurl.com/3ny5c5ee Senior Analyst at GI-TOC: developing concept of geocriminality. PhD on shadow international relations. Previously academia. Views my own. Erstwhile 北漂儿

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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0m2wjlkzplo 🇨🇳🇬🇧 China’s influence in the UK under scrutiny once again. See @methorley.bsky.social's 'All That Glistens: Chinese Party-State Influence in Britain' & @urbanmorph.bsky.social's ‘Uneasy Streets: How Chinese Money Is Remaking Urban Britain’ 👉 tinyurl.com/y5nxb5cs
bbc.co.uk
UK immigration officer among two men guilty of working for Chinese intelligence
Chi Leung
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Chenchen Zhang 🤦🏻‍♀️ @chenchenzhang.net · 27/04/2026
I'm looking for a part-time research assistant to support an externally funded, international project on the instrumentalization of anticolonial discourse in Asia and beyond. remote work OK but needs to be UK based. durham.taleo.net/careersectio...
durham.taleo.net
Research Assistant/Associate
Click the link provided to see the complete job description.
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Mareike Ohlberg @mareikeohlberg.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I wrote about China’s expanding social media monitoring and manipulation industry: the firms building and deploying bot networks for party-state actors and expanding into Western platforms. You can read the piece here: www.gmfus.org/news/outsour... A few points about the industry🧵
gmfus.org
Outsourcing Influence
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Many thanks to Charles Parton OBE for the mention on Sky News this morning - discussing the Mandelson case and China. The revolving door, political donations, All-party parliamentary groups - we don't know it yet but these are the frontline in a significant geopolitical battle.
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
The Wire China @thewirechina.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
"In the UK at this time, the so-called ‘money men’ seem to have outmaneuvered those responsible for issues closer to security and sovereignty." Read our Q&A with @methorley.bsky.social on the UK-China "golden era:" buff.ly/364ywAI
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Published today: I sat down with The Wire China for an interview - we discussed my new book, engagement with authoritarian states, the UK's 'golden era' with China, and the financialisation of liberal democracy. www.thewirechina.com/2026/04/12/m...
thewirechina.com
Martin Thorley on How The UK-China Golden Era Lost Its Shine - The Wire China
The writer discusses what led the British government to cozy up to China in the mid-2010s and the lingering lessons from that time.
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Turquoise Roof @turquoiseroof.org · 13/04/2026
In a Q&A with @methorley.bsky.social, the UK-China “Golden Era” is revisited: how financial interests and pro-engagement elites drove closer ties with Beijing in the 2010s, sidelining security concerns until a later political backlash. www.thewirechina.com/2026/04/12/m...
thewirechina.com
Martin Thorley on How The UK-China Golden Era Lost Its Shine - The Wire China
The writer discusses what led the British government to cozy up to China in the mid-2010s and the lingering lessons from that time.
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Chenchen Zhang 🤦🏻‍♀️ @chenchenzhang.net · 28/01/2026
for no reason at all Youtube sent me the Beijing Olympics song "Beijing welcomes you". 78 celebrities from China, HK, TW, Singapore sang the song in 2008. and the comment section, wow, it's all nostalgia. www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6gs...
youtube.com
北京欢迎你[完整版MV]
YouTube video by shirley3w
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
利大英 @gblee.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
#China #1980s In case you are not aware of it, you can find my podcasts and historical, China films (8mm) on The G.B. Lee Archive on Youtube. www.youtube.com/@theg.b.leea...
youtube.com
The G. B. Lee Archive
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
With news of the Chinese 'mega' embassy approval in London, time to re-up @edwardlucas.bsky.social's review of @methorley.bsky.social's new book, 'All That Glistens' in @thetimes.com Order your copy at 25% off w/code GLISTENS25 ➡️ tinyurl.com/34wdtpp2 tinyurl.com/2fekbznm
tinyurl.com
Beware! Britain is selling out to China
Martin Thorley, in All That Glistens, reveals that in Westminster and Whitehall, the City and our universities, Beijing has acquired a ‘critical mass’ of influence
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Yesterday evening I joined @yaldahakim.bsky.social to discuss her colleagues’ report on unrest in China as well as transnational repression. One eye on an expected UK PM visit to China later this month.
Yalda Hakim and I discussing things on her show.
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
A photo sent over by a friend - taken at Piccadilly Waterstones in London. First time seeing All That Glistens out in the wild… @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
A selection of books in a bookstore, including ‘All That Glistens’.A selection of books in a bookstore, including ‘All That Glistens’.
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
🎙️'As with Russia, an authoritarian state of this nature will push until it encounters resistance.' @methorley.bsky.social on @lbc.co.uk discussing the latest Chinese hacking scandal and his book All That Glistens: Chinese Party-State Influence in Britain👇 www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/...
globalplayer.com
Matt Frei on LBC UK - Catch Up | Global Player
Catch up on the last 7 days of shows from Matt Frei on LBC UK
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
📚🎄 LAST CHANCE: UK customers who order by midnight 17 December can guarantee delivery before Christmas. Our latest December releases & advance stock on January titles included! 👉 hurstpublishers.com @methorley.bsky.social @irgarner.bsky.social @vmallet.bsky.social
A Christmas background of red ornaments shows the book covers of 7 new titles: The New Byzantines, Far-Right France, Shine Your Eye, Z Generation, The Indian Caliphate, All That Glistens, and The Arab Bureau.
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
🎄Our latest December releases are available in time for the holidays. Order by midnight December 15th to guarantee UK Christmas delivery. 👉 hurstpublishers.com @methorley.bsky.social @irgarner.bsky.social
'New in December' banner with red holiday ornaments featuring the book covers of All That Glistens, The New Byzantines, The Indian Caliphate, and The Z Generation.
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Laurence Westwood @lwestwoodauthor.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
#histbookchat #China New arrival! All That Glistens: China Party-State Influence in Britain by Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social from @hurstpublishers.bsky.social as supplied by Aunty Lesley of Bridge Books @bridgebooksdromore.bsky.social the shiniest bookseller on the Emerald Isle!!
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Received a special delivery: ‘All That Glistens: Chinese Party-State Influence in Britain’ with @hurstpublishers.bsky.social Expect to see some reviews and interviews next week. www.hurstpublishers.com/book/all-tha...
A box containing newly printed copies of “All That Glistens”.
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
One month today, my book 'All That Glistens: Chinese Party-State Influence in Britain' is published with @hurstpublishers.bsky.social. I’m including some of the quotes from the back cover. More info available via the link. www.hurstpublishers.com/book/all-tha...
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Jeff Wasserstrom @jwassers.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
A 2 day mini book tour to promote my new @columbiagr.bsky.social slim volume, Tuesday talk at the Hoover (video already up here www.hoover.org/events/milk-... ) & then Wednesday at @cwclub.bsky.social (event co sponsored by @dissentmag.bsky.social (podcast to come)
hoover.org
The Milk Tea Alliance: Inside Asia's Struggle Against Autocracy And Beijing
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
3/3 More feedback: “‘A stylish narrative on the rise and fall of Chinese Communist Party political reach in Britain over a decade”
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
2/3 More feedback: “Thorley’s analysis, that the UK is a corrupt enabler of authoritarian politics makes original and disturbing reading”
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
1/3 Today is the final day you can get 25% off All That Glistens: Chinese Party-State Influence in Britain with @waterstones.bsky.social @newchinabooks.bsky.social We’ve started to receive early feedback: “One of the most important books to have been published on the UK-China relationship”
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
1/3 @waterstones.bsky.social are offering 25% off my book if pre-ordered by Thursday: All That Glistens: Chinese Party-State influence in Britain. With @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
3/3 The book at @Waterstones can be found via this link. Remember to use the code ‘SUMMER25’ for the 25% discount. www.waterstones.com/book/all-tha...
waterstones.com
All That Glistens by Martin Thorley | Waterstones
Buy All That Glistens by Martin Thorley from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
2/3 Early feedback for the book:
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
1/3 @waterstones.bsky.social are offering 25% off my book if pre-ordered by Thursday: All That Glistens: Chinese Party-State influence in Britain. With @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
The GI-TOC is hiring in Asia. Field Coordinators in: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand Vietnam; Legal Consultant in Malaysia. Further details about the positions are available via the link. globalinitiative.net/about-us/jobs/
globalinitiative.net
Job opportunities | Careers with the Global Initiative
We always welcome expressions of interest from experts in different forms of transnational organized crime or with a geographic speciality, for limited-time cooperation.
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
A reminder that GI-TOC is running a special issue of our LSE Press academic journal JIED on the topic of geocriminality We’ll need a short letter of intent by Monday 21 April if you’d like to contribute to the debate on state use of criminality abroad. globalinitiative.net/announcement...
globalinitiative.net
JIED Special Issue: Geocriminality – state instrumentalization of criminality abroad
This special issue will explore the concept and its wide-ranging ramifications for crime and crime prevention. While state instrumentalization of crime in general is as old as statehood itself, the fo...
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
1/6 Introducing geocriminality. In my latest short article, I highlight a change we’re witnessing in state instrumentalization of criminality. While states have used criminal networks in various forms since their genesis, this relationship is transforming. globalinitiative.net/analysis/the...
globalinitiative.net
Of kingdoms and crooks: The rise of geocriminality
Globalization, state–crime collaboration and tense geopolitical conditions have given rise to a troubling new phenomenon. More needs to be done to better understand this emerging threat and its implic...
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
6/6 We’d be fascinated to hear from potential contributors to this special issue on geocriminality in the GI-TOC’s academic journal JIED – with London School of Economics Press @lsepress.bsky.social. Details of the call can be found via the link. globalinitiative.net/announcement...
globalinitiative.net
JIED Special Issue: Geocriminality – state instrumentalization of criminality abroad
This special issue will explore the concept and its wide-ranging ramifications for crime and crime prevention. While state instrumentalization of crime in general is as old as statehood itself, the forces of globalization and adversarial geopolitical conditions have led to an evolution in its form. Just as rapid progress in fields of communication, travel and technology have underpinned development in business, so too has it nurtured capacity in state-crime relationships.
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
5/6 When regimes that face little scrutiny at home face increased constraints operating abroad, the use of criminals by the state becomes more attractive. But plenty of questions remain – as well as the article in the first post, we have issued a Call for Papers:
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
4/6 Just as globalization has transformed politics and business, it's impacts (e.g. advances in travel, internationalization of markets and the erosion of capital flow boundaries) have also transformed the state-crime landscape. New challenges abound…
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
3/6 Colleagues and partners of the GI-TOC were making similar findings – that this relationship had evolved. Take for example, @markgaleotti.bsky.social’s excellent research into crime and the Russian state. globalinitiative.net/analysis/gan...
globalinitiative.net
Russia's Use of Organized Crime as an Instrument of Statecraf
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has increased Moscow’s engagement with the underworld, for example to help circumvent sanctions by smuggling licit products that contain dual-u...
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
2/6 Typically, state use of crime was considered an element of clandestine diplomacy but my own research into the use of criminal networks by the People’s Republic of China suggested a deeper, novel relationship at the state-crime nexus. For example from 2024 globalinitiative.net/analysis/chi...
globalinitiative.net
China's new model of global governance and its impact on the fight against organized crime
The characteristics of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) are best understood in the context of China’s domestic approach to crime prevention, in which the party-state is vested with vast powers and...
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
1/6 Introducing geocriminality. In my latest short article, I highlight a change we’re witnessing in state instrumentalization of criminality. While states have used criminal networks in various forms since their genesis, this relationship is transforming. globalinitiative.net/analysis/the...
globalinitiative.net
Of kingdoms and crooks: The rise of geocriminality
Globalization, state–crime collaboration and tense geopolitical conditions have given rise to a troubling new phenomenon. More needs to be done to better understand this emerging threat and its implic...
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Jeff Wasserstrom @jwassers.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
👇 Publishing June 10, with a few additions in the form of at least three bits of advance praise, deeply gratifying blurbs by @eosnos.bsky.social Emma Larkin & Thongchai Winichakul
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Josh Chin @joshchin.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Not an exaggeration to say this was pound-for-pound the most effective piece of US public diplomacy in China. Twitter was blocked, but U.S. embassy pollution tweets forced Beijing to start publishing its own pollution data, which fed public outrage. Result: millions breathing vastly less toxic air
nytimes.com
U.S. Embassies Halt Air Quality Monitoring Abroad
Since 2008, embassies and other diplomatic posts had been publishing data about local air quality. In many countries, it was the only reliable source of such information.
181514544
Reposted by Martin Thorley
Abigail MacBain @aimacbain.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Sheffield has a truly excellent East Asian Studies school that is in danger of downsizing and redundancies. Please sign and share!
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Reposted by Martin Thorley
Emily Feng @emilyzfeng.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
HTS anti-narcotics officers say they found several tons of the drug captagon made by Assad-linked factories and other precursors today. They burned it all while we tried not to breath and recorded tape for @npr.org
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
21/21 If you’re interested in the hidden side of PRC party-state international engagement, the relationship between authoritarianism & capitalism, and the changing geopolitical landscape then my book is out April 2025 with @hurstpublishers.bsky.social www.hurstpublishers.com/book/all-tha...
hurstpublishers.com
All That Glistens | Hurst Publishers
Investigates how Chinese state entities have compromised business and politics in Britain at the highest levels.
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
20/21 The previous UK case with Christine Lee in parliament also hinted at a changing landscape: a need to look not only at espionage but also examine political donations, business links, All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) etc. x.com/methorley/st...
x.com
x.com
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
19/21 In a report this year, for example, I revealed photographic evidence appearing to show PRC united front links to two of Asia's most notorious criminals (p14+). This "geocriminality" goes far beyond traditional use of crime in espionage globalinitiative.net/analysis/chi...
globalinitiative.net
China's new model of global governance and its impact on the fight against organized crime
The characteristics of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) are best understood in the context of China’s domestic approach to crime prevention, in which the party-state is vested with vast powers and...
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
18/21 I’ve previously argued that we’re not in a new Cold War but something more complicated – deeply adversarial conditions amid the connections of the communication, technological and travel revolutions. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
A new cold war? Britain’s relationship with China is much more complex than that | Martin Thorley
In a globalised world, the claim that a Chinese agent forged links with UK politicians shouldn’t surprise us, says postdoctoral research fellow Martin Thorley
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
17/21 As for Yang, the term "spy" has been used today but I feel that word may be outdated here. That world remains active but geopolitics is changing: this is a wider challenge of PRC party-state dynamics in a transnational world. New rules, new conditions, & new vulnerabilities
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
16/21 She reportedly played a significant role in Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace, and is involved in multiple projects Yang Tengbo works on. She can be seen meeting Theresa May and Liam Fox here. web.archive.org/web/20241213...
web.archive.org
来自唐宁街10号的首相盛赞!
​英国当地时间2017年2月1日(农历大年初五),英国首相特雷莎·梅在位于伦敦的首相官邸唐宁街10号举办了中国春节招待会。包括中国驻英国大使刘晓明在内的200余名政、商、文化、教育界人士和中资企业、华人华侨代表等欢聚一堂。
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
15/21 Jean Jameson is listed as Senior Vice President of Yang's Hampton Group on the website [and as CEO elsewhere] but other literature also demonstrates 48 Club group links - here she is listed as "responsible for the Secretariat of the 48 Club group". web.archive.org/web/20210302...
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
14/21 That is not to cast aspersions about Methven who I haven’t met personally but have engaged with cordially online. The key here is the presence of these same organisations and their proximity to Yang and those around him.
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
13/21 Andrew Methven is listed as UK CEO. If we go back again to the UK-China business entity 48 Club Group, this time to page 71 of their 2009 booklet, we find him listed as one of their “young icebreakers”. Yang's honorary membership of the 48 is referenced by the Home Office
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
12/21 Yang started a business in the UK: Hampton Group. Again, there is far too much to go into here but research produces some fascinating findings. Michie probably merits his own thread, for example. Yang, Jameson, & Michie are linked to various companies, sometimes together
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Martin Thorley @methorley.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
11/21 This provides some context as to why comments from Prince Andrew's people to Yang saying things like “under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor” must've been a significant concern for UK security services.
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